Container and closure



7, 1946. R. w. HOAG 4 2,406,331

' con'mmm AND CLOSURE Filed Feb. 9. 1943 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 27, 1946 UNITED STATES PATEN CONTAINER AND oLosURERoderick William Hoag, Melrose, Mass.

Application February 9, 1943, Serial No. 475,241

2 l im 1 My invention relates to. containers and closures therefor, andhas particular reference to themeduction of an inexpensive, sanitaryclosure for bottles and other containers.

My improved container closure is particularly adapted for use inhospitals and homes for closing nursery milk bottles to protect thecontents until ready for use. It is to be understood, however, that myimproved closure is intended for universo! use for closing bottles andother receptacles.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the container closure iscomposed of a cover ele ment of flexible paper, foil, Cellophane orother suitable material, and a flat collar element of relativelystiffpaperboard or like material having an annular opening therein the edgesof which serve to frictionally hold the cover element to the mouth of acontainer.

One object of my invention is to provide a sim ple, inexpensive closurefor containers.

Another object of my invention is to provide a container closure that istighter and mor secure than the frictionally secured, cellulosiccontainer closures now in use.

With said objects in View, and others hereinafter explained, myinvention consists in the container with closure as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the container with the closure in positionclosing the mouth of the container.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section through the container closure and the neck of thecontainer.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the closure collar.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the center of the closure collarshown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the closure cover element.

Fig. 7 is an edge view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a modified form of my invention wherein there is no cutextending from the central opening.

Fig. 9 is an edge View of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is another modified form of my invention.

Fig. 11 is an edge View of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a section at 12-!2 of Fig, 4.

Similar referenc characters indicate similar parts or features in all ofthe views.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2" and 3, the container i has a neck portion M fordispensing the contents of the container. An annular bead I5 i usuallyprovided at the upper portion of the neck of the container. It is notnecessary that thecontainerbe of any particular construction, so longasvthere is an area around the mouth of the opening'to which the coverelement may be secured by an exteriorly positioned collar. v

The cover element 2 is preferably made of flexible sheet material suchas paper, foil, or cellulosic material. It may be made to any desiredshape and dimensions. It will be obvious that if the cover is of morethan ample proportions, it will be easily held in place while the collaris being pressed over the cover to close the container.

The collar 3 (Fig. 4) may be made of any desired material such as paper,paperboard, or the like. For most purposes, paper or paperboard has beenfound to be adequate.

The collars 3 are in practice produced by automatic machinery, a web ofmaterial being drawn from a roll and out, punched and creased to providefinished collars. In some cases a printing unit i provided to print orimpress any desired indicia on the collars for advertising orinstruction purposes.

In using this improved container closure, the cover element 2 is firstlaid over the mouth and neck of the container. The collar 3 is thensuperimposed over the cover element 2 and manipulated and forceddownward over the exterior circumference of the neck of the container.The collar is then adjusted to make certain that the circumference ofthe opening 9 fits tightly to frictionally secure the downwardlyextending portions of the cover element 2 to the neck of the container.Y

The cuts 1 and 6 provide two flap [8. In assembling the cover element 2and the collar 3 to the container, these flaps bend upwardly to permit'the collar opening to expand sufficiently to allow the collar 3 to passover the bead 15 of the container. When the collar is in place the flapsit are brought into position parallel with the main portion of thcollar.

The crease or ribs 8 (Figs. 2, i, 5 and 12) radially extending from theopening 9, are formed by pressing the collar between dies which stretchand press the collar 3 to form the said ribs 8. These ribs 8 aid greatlyin permitting the expansion of the opening 9 as the collar is pressedover the mouth of the container. The said ribs 8 also tend to bring theopening 9 back to substantially the diameter of the opening before thecollar'was applied to the container.

Figs. 8 and 9 represent a modified form of collar 4 wherein the cuts 3and "I of the collar shown in Figs. 4; and 5 are omitted. Thisembodiment is adapted for use in cases where the bead onthe neck of thecontainer is'very slightly larger than the exterior diameter of the neckof the container. The ribs 9 (Figs. 8 and 9) serve to permit theexpansion of opening Ill to allow I the collar to pass over the bead 15on the neck of the container, without tearing the collar.

.Figs. 10 and 11 represent another modified form of collar 5. Thisembodiment is similar to the collar shown in Figs; 4 and except thatribs 8 and part of out 8 are omitted. There is a single cut ll (Fig.extending from the opening l3 and curved to form a single flap l2.

My invention is not limited to the embodiments herein shown anddescribed, itsscope being set forth in the appended claims. 7

Having now describedmy invention, what claim is: i

from the said central opening, and a cut extending at substantiallyright angle from the radially directed cut.

'2. A container in combination with a closure therefor which comprise aflexible cover element frictionally secured to the said container by :anannular, substantially flat collar made from a flat sheet of resilientmaterialv and having a central opening and a plurality of radially Vdirected ribs extending outwardly from said cen- 1. In combination, acontainer having a neck with an annular, exteriorly positioned bead, anda closure for the. container, the said closure comprising a coverelement and a substantially flat V collar for frictionally holding thecover element over the neck of the container, the said cover elementcomprising a foldable, flexible cellulosic tral opening and a single cutextending outwardly from the said central opening, and within the outerperimeter of the collar, another cut intersected'by the cut extendingfrom the central opening, said collar being positioned with the centralportion of the cover element projecting through the central opening inthe collar.

RODERICK WM. HOAG.

